Mattress-stuffing machine



No. 6ll,294. Patented Sept. 27, I898. R. B. THOMPSON.

MATTRESS STUFFING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 12. 1897.)

5 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

O N. INN. N AN fiw 4 I K W QPI Q N l l. I'll IHIIII I ||lll II I"! I" wAQM II Ii. 0 m n Willi]! l m mmww D n WQQ |d I W H Q 4Q m Q1 T v I1 NWNW. .x A H w HH+ o. QV UK-U N0. 6H,294. Patented Sept. 27, I898.

R. R. THOMPSON.

MATTRESS STUFFING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 12, 1897.) (No Model.) v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

III/A IIIIIIIIIIIIII/IIIIII/IIII u enforx N0; 6l|',294. Patented Sept.27, I898. R. RI'THUMPSUN.

MATTRESS ,STUFFING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 12, 1897.)

5 Sheats-8heet 3.

(No Model.)

mum msnmpron. o. c.

No. 6|],294. Patented Sept. 27, I898.

. R. R. THOMPSON.

MATTRESS STUFFING MACHINE.

(Application filed July 12, 1897.) N0 Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

No. 6l|.294. Patented Sept. 27, I898. R. R. THOMPSON.

MATTRESS STUFFING MACHINE.

- (Application filed July 12, 1897.; (No Model.) I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

NITED STATES ROBERT THOMPSON, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

MATTRESS -STU FFING MACHINE.

SPECIFICA TION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,294, datedSeptember 27, 1898.

Application filed July 12,1897. 1 Serial No. 644,184. (N model.)

To all whont it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT R. THOMPSON,

a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Bloomington, inthe countyv of Mc- Lean and State of Illinois, have invented cer- -tainnew and useful. Improvements in Materal class as the machine shown inUnited States Patent No. 520,170, issued to me May 22, 1894, the objectof the present invention being to combine with the frame, bed, and

plunger of the machine shown in that patent a new and improved top orcover and a new and improved gate, together with novelmeans foroperating said cover and gate.

The invention is fully described and explained in this specification andshown inthe accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevationof an entire machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front endelevation thereof, the view being in the direction indicated by thearrow as, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the machinethrough the line 3 3, Fig. 1, the view being in the same direction as inFig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the front portion of themachine, showing the delivery end of the box, the oscillating gate, andthe means for raising and lowering one corner of the top or cover, thetop or cover being at its highest limit of movement. Fig. 5 is a similarview showing the top or cover partly depressed, the delivery end of themachine and the gate being omitted. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal verticalsection of the front portion of the machine, including the delivery endand the oscillating gate. Fig. 7 is an enlarged front elevation showingone of the cornerposts of the machine and one of the oscillating leversfor raising and lowering the top. Fig. 8 is a view, partly in horizontalsection and partly in top plan, showing the delivery end of the box, theoscillating gate, and one of the supporting-brackets on which the gateis pivoted. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the gate,showing the sector-shaped oscillating casting and pivot at one of theends thereof. Fig. 10 is a view, partlyin plan and partly in horizontalsection, of certain portions of the machine, the line of section beingshown at 10 10in Fig. 11; and Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-section in'line 11 11 of Fig. 10, the top or cover being shown in its loweredposition.

In the views, A A A A are four posts of suitable height placed at theangles of the rectangular main frame of the machine embodying myinvention, and A A are short posts in rear of the main frame supportingcertain operating parts, all the posts being joined and braced bysuitable horizontal members in any manner adapted to-form a rigidstructure. Between the posts of the main frame is a suitably-supportedsolid platform A, forming the bottom of the box of the machine, and onthis bottom are supported two parallel longitudinal side boards BB,provided with brackets B'- B, arranged in pairs at the ends of themachine, the brackets of each pair being connected by a transverseright-andleft-hand screw 1), (see Figs. 10 and 11,) and .both the screwsbeing connected by means of sprocket-wheels b and a sprocket-chain bwhereby they may be simultaneously operated for the purpose of movingthe side boards symmetrically inward or outward to vary the width of thebox thus formed. Upon the bottom of the box rests alat'erally-expansible plunger O,provided with a rearwardly-extending bar0, having a dependent nut in engagement with a longitudinal screw S,extending from end to end of the frame of the machine and operated bysuitable mechanism,the rotation of the screw being adapted to move theplunger forward and back in the box formed by the bottom and the movableside pieces. All the elements thus described are substantially the sameas the corresponding parts shown in my prior patent, No. 520,170,referred to above. Above the box thus described is a rectangular frameE, moving freely up and down and provided -at its angles with clasps ee, embracing the corner-postsAA and adapted to hold the frame insuitable relation to the posts and box, and beneath this rectangularframe and supported thereby is a top or cover made up of a central solidsection F and expansible and compressible sections F F, fastened to theedges of the solid section and adapted to be expanded or contracted, soas to give the entire cover a width equal to the space between the sidepieces B Bin any given adjustment thereof. The expansible sections ofthe cover may be provided with any suitable means for engaging the sideboards when the cover is down for the purpose of insuring the equaladjustment of the box and cover. As a suitable means of so connectingthe cover and side boards the side edges of the cover are shown in Fig.11 of the drawings as provided with downwardly-open hooks or clamps f,adapted to embrace the side boards, so that their inward or outwardmovement may give an equal movement of adjustment to the variablesections of the cover.

The expansible portions of the cover shown herein have the sameconstruction as the expansible parts of the cover in the machine shownin my prior patent above referred to; but in the device shown in thesaid prior patent the expansible portion of the cover is at its centerand the non-expansible parts are at the edges. The construction shown inthis application is an improvement over the prior construction for thereason that in the older device the heavy non-expansible parts of thecover were moved inward or outward at each adjustment of the width ofthe cover,whereas in the construction shown herein the central solidportion is never moved laterally, the adjustment of the cover requiringonly the inward or outward movement of the comparatively lightexpansible parts supported at the sides of the central solid portion.

The entire rectangular frame E is supported by four approximatelyVertical bars G G G G, pivoted to the side pieces of the frame neartheir ends, each of the vertical bars being provided with a series ofholes 9 g, as shown in Fig. 1, for the purpose of varying the relationof the bars to the frame and thereby varying the limit of depression ofthe frame and the cover supported by it. Each of the bars has in itsouter margin two notches g 9 the notch g in each bar being aconsiderable distance above the notch g and the inner portion of each ofthe notches being extended both above and below its outwardly open slotor throat. Immediately above the notches g g on each bar arecorresponding latches Z Z, pivoted to the inner face of the bar andswinging freely on their pivots. Below the bed or bottom of the box ofthe machine are two transverse shafts H II, extending across the frameof the machine and, as shown, adapted to be synchronously rotated bymeans of a longitudinal shaft H, worms mounted on said shaft, worm-gearsmounted on countershafts H and engaging said worms, and gearingconnecting the counter-shafts with the shafts H H. The longitudinalshaft 1 1 may be rotated in any desired manner, as by mounting a crankon one of its ends or by providing suitable means for applying power forits rotation, and the gearing for transmitting rotation to thetransverse shafts H H may be varied in any desired manner to give themsuitable speed.

On the ends of each of the shafts II II are rigidly mounted two levers KK, each provided with one long and one short arm lying on opposite sidesof the shaft, the outer ends of each lever being provided with eccentricbosses 7o from the faces of which project corresponding pins 19 19,adapted to enter and engage the notches g g of the correspondingvertical bar'G. The oscillating levers K K, with their eccentrics 7c 7tand pins 1) p, are intended and adapted to raise and lower the bars G Gand the frame and cover to which the bars are attached, the operation bywhich such raising and lowering is effected being as follows: As shownin Figs. 1 and 4, the cover is in its highest position, the pin 17 atthe end of thelonger arm of each of the levers K being in engagementwith the shoulder formed by the upper side of lowermost notch g in thecorresponding bar G, and the lower end of each of the bars G beingpressed outward or in the direction indicated by the arrow :0 by meansof a spring S, attached to the frame E and pressing against the bar, asclearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The eccentric boss 70 on the longer armof each of the lovers extends from the pin 13 toward the shaft H or axisof the lever, while the eccentric boss 7; at the end of the short armextends away from said axis, so that when the bosses are in the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 4: each of the bosses extends downward from itspin. If now the transverse shafts H I'Ibe so rotated as to swing thelonger arms of the levers K K inward, giving to each lever the movementin the direction indicated by the arrows on the pins p p in Fig. 4, sucha movement will evidently lower the pin 13 of each lever and the barthereon supported and correspondingly raise the pin 1), and thismovement of inversion of the lever will turn the eccentric bosses 7c 70upward from their pins 19 19 instead of downward, this position of theparts being indicated in Fig. 5. Each of the eccentric bosses la It liesin the vertical plane of the latches Z Z, and the latches are so placedthat when in the movement just described the boss 70 at the end of thelong arm of the lever has been completely inverted it is pressed againstthe lower edge of the corresponding latch Z, so as to raise the latchand the bar G and free the pin 19 from contact or engagement with theupper margin of the notch g in the bar. This entire movement brings thepin p'into the notch g in the bar, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the coverbeing now in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6. The furthermovement of the levers K K carries the bars G G still farther downwardand brings the cover into the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig.6, thereby completing its downward movement, for the purpose hereinafterset forth. This entire movement of the levers brings each of them intoapproximately the position shown in Fig. 4, each of the bars G being,however, in its lowest instead of its highest position, and the cam Zabove the notch g of each bar being immediately above the eccentric 7tat the end of the short arm of the corresponding lever. The reversal ofthe movement of the shafts H H and levers K K reverses the movement ofthe bars G G and the cover with its supporting-frame, the bars and coverbeing forced upward to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and l.

The mechanism and operation thus described for raising and lowering thecover constitute a great improvement over the means for the same purposeshown in my prior patent, in which the cover is shown as hinged at oneof its-ends and is raised by a comparatively slow operation. The raisingof the entire cover in a constantly horizontal position is in itself animprovement, and the celerity with which it may be raised or lowered isa still further advantage.

Onthe front end of each of'the side pieces I B B of the box is aforwardly-extending plate D, preferably flush with the inner face of theside piece and formed with an arc-shaped slot cl, as most clearly shownin Fig. 6. Across the front of the frame of the machine is an angle-barD, lying immediately below the front portions of the plates D D, and onthis angle-iron is supported the central portion of the sheet-metalbottom of a forward extension of the b'ox,adapted to receive a tick inthe process of filling or stuffing. To the front portion of each of theplates D D is fastened a sheet-metal side piece B and one of theinwardly and outwardly adjustable side portions A of the bottom of theforward extension of the box, each of the plates D D being movableinward and outward with the side piece B, to which it is fastened, andthe corresponding parts B A of the extension bein g correspondinglymovable for the purpose of securing lateral adjustment of the extensionto correspond with the lateral adjustment of the box proper. The cover FF extends forward in front of the frame of the machine as far as thefront end of the sheetmetal extension supported by the plates D D andangle-iron D, the front end of the cover being thin or wedge-shaped, asshown in section in Fig. 6, and being adapted to form the top or coverof the extension.

On the front faces of the front posts of the frame of the machine arebrackets M M, extending forward toward the end of the sheetmetalextension of the box, and on the inner faces of these brackets aresector shaped castings N N, pivoted at their centers to the front endsof the brackets and extendin g backward, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and8. The sector-shaped castings N N are attached to the respective ends ofan oscillating sheetmetal gate 0, supported by the castings and swingingwith them about their pivots in the brackets M M. This gate is a segmentof a cylinder corresponding in curvature to the arc-shaped slots 01 clin the plates D D and swings freely in said slots without touching theiredges, the position of the gate being determined wholly by the positionof the pivoted oscillating sectors N N, to which it is fastened. Theinner faces of the posts A A are preferably recessed, as shown in Fig.8, to receive the sectors, in order that the side pieces B B may beadjusted outwardly into contact with the posts, if desired, and thelower edge of the gate 0 may be formed with an inwardly-turned flange 0for the purpose of stiffening it, if desired. The pivot or gudgeon onone of the sectors N N may be extended outward through the correspondingbracket to permit the attachment of a crank or other means foroscillating the gate, such a projecting squared gudgeon being shown inFig. 9. This gate is extremely simple, strong, and easily operated, andit has certain other advantages over the gate shown in my prior patentor any gate shown in any structure of this general class or in any pressof any kind within my knowledge. The gate is of such width that when inits highest position its upper edge reaches the extreme limit of heightof the box, and at the same time it moves so easily that the pressure ofthe cover in its descent readily depresses the gate to any desiredextent, its upper margin, however, being held constantly in contact withthe lower face of the cover. Further more, in the operation of themachine, which is that of stuffing mattresses, the end of the mass ofmaterial within the box when pressed against the convex face of the gateassumes a slightly-concave form, which makes it fill the end of the tickmore perfectly than is possible when the gate is plane.

The operation of the machine, which is substantially the same as that ofmy prior machine, may be briefly described as follows: The upper ends ofthe bars G G being adj usted with relation to the cover and its frame soas to give the cover the desired distance above the bottom of the box,the cover is raised to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the gate israised to the position shown in Fig. 6. The material with which themattress is to be stuffed is then placed in the box and properlydistributed, after which the cover is lowered completely, giving thematerial a suitable Vertical pressure and depressing the gate, as abovedescribed. The plunger is then pressed forward, compressing the materiallongitudinally to any desired degree, after which the end gate is swungcompletely out'of the slots in the plates D D, leaving the box and itsextensions open from end to end. The mattress-tick having been slippedupon the extension at the front end of the box, the forward movement ofthe plunger is continued until the material is completely ejected fromthe box and its extension and forced into the tick, which is therebyfilled. This completes the operation of stuffing the tick, and the covermay be again raised to repeat the operation.

It will be observed that the means shown and described herein forraising and lower ing the top are such as to give the top in its upwardor downward movement a varying speed, the upward movement of the topbeing slowest at its beginning and the downward movement of the topbeing slowest at its close. This is especially important in the downwardmovement, since it permits the rapid lowering of the top until the pointat which the compression of the material in the box begins, after whichtime the movement is slow and the power correspondingly great.

Having now described and explained myinvention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a framework and top vertically guided therein,of a series of approximately vertical supporting-bars pivoted to the topand having a series of shoulders upon one side, a series ofoperating-levers pivotally mounted upon the frame and having means ofengagement with said shoulders, means for retaining said bars inengagement with said lever and means for disengaging one of saidshoulders from the lever at about the time at which said lever engageswith the next succeeding shoulder; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a framework and the pressbox having laterallyadjustable sides supported therein, of extensions upon said sidesprovided with arc-shaped slots, brackets upon the framework and asegmental gate pivoted by means of suitable radial arms upon saidbrackets and adapted to swing in said slots whereby the press-box may becontracted laterally without adjustment of said gate; substantially asdescribed.

3. In a mattress-stufling machine the combination with asupporting-frame and a pressbox having a suitable bottom and sides, of atop guided vertically in the frame, approximately vertical barssupporting the top, shafts journaled in the frame and provided withmeans for their rotation, and levers mounted on the ends of said shaftsand each projecting on both sides of the shaft on which it is mounted,each of said levers being provided at both its ends with means fordetachably engaging the corresponding supporting-bar and each bar andlever, at each point of mutual engagement beingprovided with meanswhereby the rotation of the lever may slightly vary the point of supportof the bar upon the lever.

4E. The combination with the frame, the press-box and thevertically-movable cover, of the bars, G, G, the shafts H, II, thelevers, K, K, and the cams and eccentrics, Z, Z, 7c, 70', the ends ofeach lever being adapted to detachably engage the corresponding bar atpoints contiguous to the cams, Z, Z, and the cams being adapted to restupon the eccentries in suitable positions of the levers, therebyslightly shifting, in each case, the point of support of the bar uponthe lever.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Chicago, in thecounty of (look and State of Illinois, this 6th day of July, A. D. 1897.

ROBERT E. THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. O. SHERVEY, A. I. H. NELSON.

